Airship



H. J. ROSS A ril 1, 1930.

AIRSHIP s Sheets-Sheet Filed May 14, 1929 Inventor v April 1, 1930. H. J. oss 1,753,068

AIRSHIP Fil ed May 14, 1929 e Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor H. J. ROSS April 1, 1930.

AIRSHIP 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q Filed May 14, 1929 I Inventor JEa-S-S A itdrney H. J. ROSS April 1, 1930.

AIRSHIP Filed May 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet Inventor Q By l Ha Attorney Aprfi'i, 193%" H. J. Ross I 97 3 AIRSHIP Filed May 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 In ventor Pass Attorney mama HIJ. ROSS April 1, 1939 AIRSHIP Filed May 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet In venio 517% F655 l 'ateulzecl Apr. 1,

UNITED STATES HUGH I, lose, or crrrrwoon, raw meat I Application fled May 14,

The present invention relates to im rovements in airships and has for one of its objects to provide an improved construction of airships and to provide a much more speedy 5 and safer passenger carrying airship than has heretofore been constructed.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of an airship of the lighter than air type with the provision of means whereby the same may be constructed on a very large scale and maneuvered with comparative ease both in landing and launch- 1n another very important object of the in 15 vention resides in the provision of an airship of this nature with an elevator mechanism incorporated therein whereby passengers may be readily taken on and taken off under varying conditions.

A still further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of an aeroplane of this nature which is strong and durable, thoroughly eflicient and reliable in use, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel 39 tion and arrangement of arts as will be hereinafter more fully descri ed and claimed.

In the drawing: I Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the airship embodying the features of my invention,

Figure 1, g y

Figure 6 is-a vertical longitudinal section taken. substantially onthe hne 6-6 of'Figure 2 Figure 7 is an enlarged detail vertical longitudinal section illustrating the lower end of the fuselage, Y

*Fi re 8 is an enlarged detail section taken substantially on the' line 88 of Figure 5,

features of construction, and in the combinathe elevatorshaft and adjacent portions of a Figure 9 1s a plan view of the cradle strucas. serum in. seam.

ture for steadying the elevator after the same 1 leaves the elevator shaft.

Figure 10 is a vertical transverse section take6n substantially on the line 10-10 of Figure Figure 11 is an elevation of a wall in the fuselage showing the controls mounted there- I Figure '12 is a sectional view taken substan tially on the line 1212 of Figure 11,

Figure 13 isa sectional view taken substantially on the line I313 ofFi'gu're 11,

Figure 14 is a detail section taken substantially on' the line 14-44 of Figure'13,

Figure 15 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 15 15 of Fi re- 6,

Figure 16 is a detail section ta en substantially on the line 16-16 of Figure 7,

Fi re 17 is a detail view taken substantially on the line 17-17 of Figure 6,

Figure "18 is an enlarged detail vertical horizontal section showing the trap door for letting in water,v

Figure 19 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 1'9-19 of Figure 6, and

Figure 20 is an enlarged detail section take; substantially on the line 20-20 of Figure Referring to the drawin in detail it will be seen that the numeral 5%len otes generally the body or casing which is supported by means of a pair of spaced elongated arallel I coextensive gas ba v6, one to each si e of the upper portion of t e fusela e.

These bags 6 are stream line and there ex- 5 tend outwardly and laterall from the tail "portions thereof fins 7 with e evators 8 hingedly connected to the rear edges thereof and each elevator is provided with a pair. of fixed arms 9 one extending upwardly and the other downwardl with cables 10 attached-thereto and traine over pulleys 11' in'the fins 7 and these cables are trained over pulleys 12 and- These cables are wound about drums 14 rotatable in a wall 15 at the. front of the fuse lage and operable by a hand lever structure 16 through gearing 17. s

' A pair of ontoons 20 are mounted by hangers 21 at e nose and of the fuselage for W by brackets 28 on the shelf 24 and on the bottom ends of the shafts 26 are worm gears 29 operable by worms 30. The two rear and two intermediatemotors are controlled by a hand wheel 31 on shaft 32 journaled in wall 15.

Gearing 33 connects the shaft 32 with transverse shafts 34 which are connected through gearings 35 with shafts 36 on which the worms 30 are fixed. The two front motors 23 are controlled by a hand wheel 37 on shaft 38 journaled in the walls 15 and this shaft 38 is connected with shafts 39 extending transversely by means of gearing 40.

The shafts 39 are connected with shafts 41 through gearings, 42 and the worms are mounted on the shaft 41.

A motor 45 is mounted on the top front of thefuselage 5 and has its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly and has a propeller 46 operatively connected at the front thereto. The motor 45 and the propeller 46 are for the purpose of exerting a rearwardly and downwardly directed driving force on the airship and to obtain this end, the blades on the propeller 46 are reversely ditched .with respect to the blade on the remainihg propeller of the airship. A pair of motors 47 are mounted at the rear top-of the fuselage and each has its axis inclinedupwardly. and rearwardly with. a rear propeller 48 operatively connected thereto.

Motor 50 is mounted on the rear of the fuselage between the motors 47 and has rear propeller 51 operatively connected thereto and is controlled by a shaft similar to motors 23, this shaft being connected by gearing 52 with a vertical shaft 53 which is connected by gearing 54 with a shaft 55 journaled in the wall 15 between the shafts 32 and 38 and having a hand wheel 56 at the front end thereof.

\ ---A door 60 is hinged in an opening in the forward bottom of the fuselage, the hinge means being noted at 61 and located forwardly so that the rear endof the door may be moved inwardly and upwardly by means of a shaft 62 having a link connection 63 with the rear end of the door 60 and being guided through a bearing 64 in the floor 65 and having a nut 66 threaded on the upper. end thereof and operated by a Wheel 67.

Thus water may be letin the bottom of the fuselage to function as a ballast for holding the airship down after having landed on the water.

may be forced out by an air compressor 57 having a pipe 68 leading through the floor 65 and forcing the water-up through pipe 69 which leads out through the sideof the fuselage as is clearly illustrated in Figure 15.

After sufficient of the water has been let out so that the gas'bags may raise the fuselage fromthe water, the remaining water may be drained out through a valve structure 7 0 operable by stem 71 from above the floor 65.

central portion of the fuselage and has an elevator 73 operatively mounted therein. A

An elevator shaft 72 extends through the removable cover 74 is provided for the upper end of the shaft; A slide closure 75 is provided for the lower end of the shaft and is operable by means of a threaded shaft'76 fixed thereto, a gear 77 threaded thereon and in mesh with the gear 78 operable by the shaft 79 extending up through the floor and operable by a hand wheel 80.

This closure plate 75 will be in a closed position when the fuselage is to land on water. The elevator 73 may be lowered below the fuselage to land passengeraonthe ground when the airship is at a mooring mast or is anchored above another. airship and 1n order 'to prevent swaying of the elevator when out:

of the shaft I provide a cradle structure shown to advantage in Figure 9 consisting of cross bars 81 with lugs 82 rising therefrom to fit in the keepers or eyes 83 on the bottom of the elevator.

Cables '84 connect the cross members to cross bars 85. Cables 86 connect the cross members with each other. nect the cross bars 85 to cable 88 which is trained about the fuselage over pulleys 89 and windable on shafts 90 connected by gearing 91 to shaft 92.

Thus when the elevator 73 is lowered it bears on the cradle structure which prevents the swaying thereof in the wind. These ness or for any play out of the elevator. The

Bridles 87 conshaft 91 will preferably be operatively connected with the usual elevator mechanism which lowers and raises the elevator.

The rear portion of the top of the fuselage provides a landing 100 for aeroplanes and the like. j A plurality of eyes 101 are provided above the fuselage so that another aeroplane may be anchored thereto.

Thus two or more airships maybe anchored one above the other and passengers" and supplies freight and the like may be readily transferred from one to the other. In considering the airship as it has now been described in detail it will be seen that in landing in a Windstorm or the like motors 45 may be placed in operation to steady the fuselage endwise and motors 23 may be brought into actuation so as to steady the fuselage laterally.

.Motors. 23 may-be used for shifting the fuselage laterally. Furthermore motors45 and 47 ma be used to force the airship down without t enecessity of allowing gas to escape from the gas bag. This may be accomplished by reason of the inclined axis of each of said. mot'orsand by reason of the. fact that the blades of the propeller 46are reversely ditched. It will be seen that when landing on water, water ballasts may be taken on to properly anchor the airship and. said ballastsimay be thrown off in an expeditious manner.

It is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of this invention will now be quite apparent to those'skilled in thisartwithout a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for the purposes of exemplification since in actualpractice it attains the features of advantage numerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above I description.

, It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

' 1. An airship of the class described comprisinga fuselage, gas bags on the fuselage,

motor driven propellers to the sides of the fuselage, means for rockably mountingthe motor driven propellerson vertical axis and for controlling the same/from the interior of the fuselage, motor driven propellers on the prising a fuselage, "motor driven prope upper rear part of the fuselage and mounted on vertical axis, and means associated therewlth for controlling them from interiorly of the fuselage, a motor with a front propeller the fuselage and having its axis inclined up- .wardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear top of the fuselage with a rear proeller and having its axis inclined upwardly and rearwardly.

3. Anairship of the class described comprising a fuselage, gas. bags on the fuselage,

motor driven propellers to the sides of the fusela e, means for rockably mounting the motor driven propellers on vertical axis and forcontrollingthe same from the interior of the fuselage, motor driven propellers on the upper rear part of the fuselage andmounted on vertical axis, and means associated therewith for controlling them from interiorly of the fuselage, a motor with'a front propeller mounted on the front'to of the fuselage and having its axis incline upwardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear top of the fuselage with a rear propeller and having:

its axis inclined upwardly and rearwardly, a gate hinged in an opening at the forward portion of the bottom of the fuselage for letting in water and means for controlling said gate.

prising a fuselage, gas bags on the fuselage, motor driven propellers to the sides of the fuselage, means for rockably mounting the motor driven propellers on vertical axis and for controlling the same from the interior of the fuselage, motor driven propellers on the upper rear part of the fuselage and mounted on vertical axis, and means associated therewith for controlling them from interiorly of the fuselage, a motor with a front propeller mounted on the front top of the fuselage and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear top of .the fuselage with a rear propeller and having its axis inclined upwardly andrearwa-rdly, a

gate hinged in an opening at the forward portion of the bottom of the fuselage for letting in water and means for controlling said ate, means for forcing the water out of the bottom of the fuselage.

5. An airship of the class described comprising a fuselage, gas bags on the fuselage,

motor driven propellers to the sides of the fuselage, means for rockably mounting the motor'driven propellers on vertical axis and for controlling the same from the interior of the fuselage, motor driven propellers on the upper rear part of the fuselage and mounted on vertical axis, and means associated therewith for controlling them from interior of the fuselage, a motor with a front propeller mounted. on the front top of the fuselage and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear top of the fuselage with a rear propeller and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly,

a motor mounted on the rear top of the fuse- 4. An airship of the class described com- I lage with a rear (propeller and having its axis inclined upv. ar ly and forwardly, a gate hinged in an opening at the forward portion of the bottom of the fuselage for letting in water and means for controlling said gate,

means for forcing'the water out of the bottom 6, An airship of the class described comprising a fuselage, gas bags on the fuselage,

motor driven propellers to the sides of the fuselage, means for rockably mounting the motor driven propellers on vertical axis and for controlling the same from the interior of the fuselage, motor driven propellers on the upper rear part of the fuselage and mounted on vertical axis, and means associated therewith for controlling them from the interior of the fuselage, a motor with a front propeller mounted on the front top of the fuselage and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear top of the fuselage with a rear propeller and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear top of the fuselage with a rear propeller and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a gate hinged in an opening at the forward portion of the bottom of ,the fuselage for letting in water and means for controlling said gate, means for forcing the water out of the bottom of the fuselage, and means for allowing the water to drain to the bottom of the fuselage, an elevator shaft mounted vertically through the fuselage, an elevator therein, a slidable closure for the bottom end of the elevator shaft.

7. An airship of the class described comprising a fuselage, gas bags on the fuselage, motor driven propellers to the sides of the fuselage, means for rockably mounting the motor driven propellers on vertical axis and for controlling the same from the interior of the fuselage, motor driven propellers on on vertical axis, and meansassociated there with for controlling them from the interior of the fuselage, a motor with a frontproeller mounted on the front top of the fuseage and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear upper rear part of the fuselage and mounted 7,0

top of the fuselage with a rear propeller and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on-the rear to of the fuselage with a rear propeller and aving its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a gate hinged in an opening at the forward portion of the bottom of the fuselage for letting in water and means for controlling said gate, means for forcing the water out of the bottom of the fuselage, and means for allowing the water to drain to the bottom of the fuselage, an elevator shaft mounted vertically through the fuselage, an elevator therein, a slidable closure for the bottom end of the elevator shaft, a cradle for receiving the elevator when it leaves the bottom of the shaft and steady the same, cable means for supporting the cradle and means for controlling said cable means.

9. In an airship, a fuselage, an elevator shaft in the fuselage, an elevator in the shaft, a cradle for receiving the elevator when it leaves the bottom of the shaft, and cable control means for supporting the cradle and steadying the elevator.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signatur HUGH J. ROSS.

the upper rear part of the fuselage and mounted on vertical axis, and means associated therewithfor controlling them from the interior of the fuselage, a motor with a front ropeller mounted on the front top of the sela e and having its axis inclined upwardly an forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear top of the fusela e with a rear propeller and having its axis inclined upwardly and forwardly, a motor mounted on the rear top of the fuselage with a rear ropeller and having its axis inclined upwar ly and forwardly, a gate hinged in an opening at the forward ortion of the bottom of the fuselage for etting in water and means for controlling said gate, means for forcing the water out of the bottom of the fuselage, and means for allowing the water to drain to the bottom of the fuselage, an elevator shaft mounted vertically through the fuselage an elevator therein, .a slidable closure for the bottom end of the elevator shaft, a cradle for receiving the elevator when it leaves the bottom of the shaft and steady the same.

8. Au airship of the class described comprising a fuselage, gas bags on the fuselage, 

